Tag: maldives news

Former President Gayoom calls for leadership of small island states in climate change

Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has called upon leaders of developed nations to allow small island states to lead the world in efforts to combat climate change.

“We say to the leaders of the emitting countries, if you are not ready to lead the world on climate change, then give us the opportunity,” Gayoom appealed in a statement delivered at the 3rd International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Apia, Samoa on Monday (September 1).

“SIDS are ready to lead. Don’t stand in our way.”

Despite challenges posed by the small size of SIDS, Gayoom said “size alone does not determine our destiny.”

“With the right policies and right choices we can become our own masters who will shape our future,” he said.

“To do that we need to establish partnerships; meaningful partnerships and enduring partnerships. Partnerships that are defined not by more aid, but by more opportunities. Opportunities that small states could seize to help themselves and to live their dreams.”

The former president is representing the Maldives at the four-day conference as a special envoy of President Abdulla Yameen along with Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim.

The objectives of the conference include “identifying new and emerging challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of SIDS and means of addressing them” and “identifying priorities for the sustainable development of SIDS to be considered in the elaboration of the post-2015 UN development agenda.”

No progress

Despite “numerous pledges” at UN conferences where “ambitious action plans” were adopted, Gayoom noted that there was “very little to show in terms of real progress.”

“Global CO2 emissions continue unabated. Our fragile ecosystems face increasing threats. Sustainable and innovative solutions we initiate remain unrealised because of lack of international support,” he said.

“It is deeply disappointing to the Maldives, and to the people of all small island developing states to observe the lack of action, particularly by the industrialised economies.”

The objective of SIDS as a separate category was “to help small states in coping with vulnerability,” he added, as well as to coordinate policy decisions “instead of defining these states in terms of what they are not.”

Climate change should be the “core issue of concern” for both SIDS and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Gayoom said.

While the Maldives was considered a beautiful and exotic tourist destination, Gayoom said the country was threatened by rising sea temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, coral bleaching, increased salination of fresh water, accelerated beach erosion, and erratic migration of fish stocks.

The Maldives along with other SIDS have “consistently called for genuine action for climate change, to not bury it in the political manoeuvring that is a reality of today’s international diplomacy, to not wait until it is too late,” he said.

Despite vulnerability of small states, Gayoom said SIDS were also “valuable contributors in proposing common solutions to common problems.”

In the past four decades, the Maldives has shown that small states are both viable and “have extraordinary ability to survive and even thrive in the turbulent global political arena.”

He referred to the Maldives drawing international attention to sea level rise and security threats for small states in 1987.

Gayoom suggested that the declaration of the conference – the ‘Samoa Pathway’ – could “change the course of history in climate change and sustainable development negotiations.”

The declaration could help small states build resilience and develop economies driven by innovation and new technologies, he continued, which would “encourage free enterprise and individual initiative.”

Following today’s session of the conference, Gayoom tweeted,

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JP calls on government to speed up projects included in PSIP budget

The Jumhooree Party (JP) has called on the government to launch projects included in the public sector investment programme (PSIP) approved with the annual budget passed by parliament.

Following a meeting with Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad, JP MP Abdulla Riyaz told the press that a number of projects for which funds were allocated in the PSIP budget had yet to commence, some of which were planned for constituencies represented by the party’s MPs.

The former police commissioner said the party accepted that the government was facing difficulties managing the budget, assuring the JP’s cooperation for passing a supplementary budget to finance the development projects.

After criticising the government’s flagship special economic zone (SEZ) legislation in parliament, the JP reversed its stance and announced a three-line whip in favor of the bill.

The change in the party’s stance closely followed the government’s cancellation of various business agreements made with the JP leader Gasim Ibrahim’s Villa Group.

Following Gasim’s crucial decision to support President Abdulla Yameen’s 2013 presidential election bid, his party joined the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and its ally Maldivian Development Alliance in contesting the March parliamentary polls as part of the Progressive Coalition.

However, the PPM severed its coalition agreement with the JP in May after Gasim stood for post of Majlis speaker despite the PPM fielding its senior MP Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.

Following the passage of the SEZ bill, the JP has sought reconciliation, whilst President Yameen has signalled that the government was willing to “work together” with the former coalition partner.

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Drug kingpin Shafaz appeals conviction at High Court

Convicted drug trafficker Ibrahim Shafaz Abdul Razzak has appealed his drug trafficking charges at the High Court, reports local media.

At the first hearing yesterday, Shafaz’s lawyer argued that the trial at the Criminal Court was conducted in a prejudiced and unfair manner.

The defence attorney, Aminath Shezleen, noted that the verdict did not specify the type of drugs Shafaz was accused of trafficking with reference to the appendix of the Drugs Act.

While the conviction was based on a phone call recording, Shezleen said the audio was submitted as evidence without a chain of custody report from police as required by regulations.

The state attorney, however, defended the validity of the report and noted that both sides were allowed to question experts at the trial concerning the analysis report of the phone recording, adding that Shafaz had not denied that it was his voice in the incriminating audio.

Concluding the hearing, the three-judge panel asked for submission of both the chain of custody report and the recording of the phone conversation.

The judges announced that a second hearing would be held after considering the evidence.

The Criminal Court had sentenced the 30-year-old to 18 years in prison in November 2013 and levied a fine of MVR75,000 (US$4,860) for drug trafficking.

In February, Shafaz was temporarily released for three months to seek medical treatment said to be unavailable in the Maldives.

However, following media reports suggesting the Maldives Correctional Services (MCS) violated procedures in authorising his release, Shafaz was caught in Colombo in May and brought back to the Maldives to serve his sentence.

Shafaz was arrested on June 24, 2011, with 896 grams of heroin from a rented apartment in a building owned by ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives MP Ahmed ‘Redwave’ Saleem.

Former head of the Drug Enforcement Department, Superintendent Mohamed Jinah, told the press at the time that police had raided Henveiru Fashan based on intelligence information gathered in the two-year long ‘Operation Challenge’.

Jinah labeled Shafaz a high-profile drug dealer suspected of smuggling and supplying drugs since 2006.

He claimed that the network had smuggled drugs worth MVR1.3 million (US$84,306) to the Maldives between February and April 2011.

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Government expenditure rose 58 percent in June, reveals MMA

Government spending in June rose 58 percent compared to the same period in 2013, the Maldives Monetary Authority’s (MMA) monthly economic review for July 2014 has revealed.

Total expenditure, excluding net lending, “amounted to MVR1.6 billion (US$103 million) in June 2014,” stated the report released on Sunday (August 31).

Total government revenue, excluding grants, meanwhile rose four percent in annual terms and reached MVR0.9 billion (US$58 million).

“The increase in total revenue during June 2014 was largely due to the 57 percent growth in import duty and the 9 percent increase in total goods and services tax,” the central bank explained.

“Meanwhile, non-tax revenue registered a decline owing to the 18 percent decline in resort lease rent. As for the increase in expenditure, it was mainly due to the 30 percent increase in current expenditure.”

Budget deficit

In early August, Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad revealed that the government was facing “great difficulty in managing the budget deficit” due to shortfalls in revenue.

The ballooning budget deficit – which Jihad warned could reach MVR4 billion (US$260 million) or 10.6 percent of GDP – could affect the government’s ability to pay civil servants, he said.

A fiscal deficit of MVR1.3 million (US$84,306) had been projected in the record MVR17.96 billion (US$1.1 billion) budget approved by parliament.

The budget was inclusive of proposed revenue raising measures – many of which had failed to materialise during the previous administration – amounting to MVR3.4 billion (US$220 million), or 19 percent of the budget.

“Expenses keep on increasing, even as we don’t receive any revenue. We did not get the expected revenue this year either,” Jihad said last month.

Despite parliament passing the measures in February – including tax and import duty hikes – Jihad predicted at the time that the anticipated revenue might not be realised in full due to compromises.

“We try to make regular salary payments even if we have to take loans in order to do so,” Jihad said.

The monthly review revealed that the total outstanding stock of government securities – treasury bills and bonds – increased 18 percent in July compared to the corresponding period last year, reaching MVR13.7 billion (US$888 million).

“The annual growth in government securities was contributed by the increase in the amount of T-bills issued by the government to manage its growing cash flow requirements,” the review explained.

The MMA had previously warned that shortfalls in revenue and overruns in expenditure could jeopardise the country’s debt sustainability.

In May, MMA Governor Dr Azeema Adam called for “bold decisions” to ensure macroeconomic stability by reducing expenditure – “especially the untargeted subsidies” – and increasing revenue.

Tourism, fisheries and inflation

Tourist arrivals in July increased 20 percent from the previous month and 14 percent compared to July 2013, reaching 100,191 visitors, the review noted.

While bednights rose by nine percent in annual terms, the report noted that average duration of stay declined from 6.0 days in July last year to 5.7 days this year.

“With the increase in bednights, the occupancy rate also rose to 69 percent in July 2014 from 66 percent in the same period last year,” the review stated.

Fish purchases meanwhile declined by 44 percent to 2,124.7 metric tonnes compared to July 2013, the report revealed.

While the volume of fish exports fell by 54 percent, earnings on fish exports declined by 41 percent, which was “contributed mainly by the fall in export of frozen yellow fin tuna.”

The rate of inflation in the capital decreased to 2.4 percent from 3.5 percent in July 2013 and 3.6 percent the previous year, the review found, which was due to “the slower growth of food prices, especially fish, and the moderation in the growth in prices charged for rent and health services.”

The review noted that the trade deficit widened by 38 percent in July compared to the same period last year “due to the 27 percent increase in imports and the 34 percent decline in exports.”

Gross international reserves rose four percent from the previous month and 42 percent in annual terms, the review stated, amounting to US$497.6 million at the end of July.

“This mainly reflects the temporary increase in foreign currency transfers by the commercial banks in the review period,” the central bank explained.

“As for reserves in terms of months of imports, it also increased in both monthly and annual terms and stood at 3.2 months during the review month.”

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Nine persons apply for vacant High Court judge post

Nine persons – six males and three females – have applied for the vacant post of Judge on the High Court bench.

The applicants are UNDP Resident Representative Aishath Rizna, Family Court Head Judge Hassan Saeed, Hulhumalé Court Marriage Registrar Hassan Ali, Criminal Court Judges Abdulla Didi, Muhuthaz Fahmy, and Civil Court Judges Aishath Sujoon, Mariyam Nihaayath, Hussain Mazeed, Abdulla Jameel Moosa.

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Journalist Haseen denies charges of obstructing police duty

Channel News Maldives (CNM) journalist Abdulla Haseen has denied charges raised against him of working with political figures to obstruct police duties.

At a hearing held at the Criminal Court today, Haseen is reported in local media as having said that he had attended political rallies only as a journalist with the intention of covering them for news pieces.

Haseen is accused of having removed police barricades and of speaking to police officers in obscene language along with Abdulla Idrees of Gulfaamuge in Laamu Maavah and former opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Hamid Abdul Ghafoor.

The next hearing of the case has been scheduled to be held on September 28.

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Autism association launches training programme for teachers

The Maldives Autism Association (MAA) has launched a special programme to train teachers of children with special needs, reports newspaper Haveeru.

MAA Managing Director Ifham Hussan told the local daily that 40 teachers are participating in the four-day course at the social centre. Training is being conducted by two experts from Malaysia and Singapore, she added.

“We are not going to be covering modules on autism only in this programme, we will try and cover all the areas relative to children with all kinds of disabilities. By the time the training draws to a close, the participants will know how to manage such children within classrooms,” she was quoted as saying.

The Human Rights Commission of the Maldives’ ‘National Inquiry on Access to Education for Children with Disabilities’ earlier this year documented systemic failings in the education system.

The autism association is a founding member of the recently established Child Advocacy Network of Disability Organisations (CAN DO), designed to protect and promote the rights and well-being of children with disabilities.

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Raajje TV blurs news segment on missing journalist in solidarity

Expressing solidarity with missing Minivan News journalist Ahmed Rilwan, opposition aligned broadcaster Raajje TV’s staff have today donned black and blurred presenter’s faces on news segments regarding the disappearance.

Explaining the decision, Raajje TV said, “Rilwan has been disappeared, but we will not let it be forgotten for one moment.”

The station said it will continue with focusing out on news segments regarding Rilwan until facts of his disappearance are clear.

“Raajje TV’s main focus at the moment is to find Rilwan alive. We hope to see Rilwan back in journalism as soon as possible,” the station said in a statement today.

Raajje TV itself has suffered numerous attacks over the past two years, including vandalism of equipment and an arson attack that destroyed its offices and equipment. The station’s News Head Ibrahim ‘Asward’ Waheed also survived a near fatal assault in February 2012.

Expressing empathy with Rilwan’s family, Raajje TV called on the government, law enforcement agencies, media, civil society organizations and the public to step up efforts to find Rilwan.

“A Maldivian and a member of the Maldivian media family has been abducted and disappeared. Raajje TV believes a thorough investigation must be conducted and facts must be made known in this case,” the station said.

The Maldives Police Services have revealed very little information on the case. The passports of four individuals have reportedly been held over the case.

The station’s news site www.raajje.mv has also hosted a banner counting the days since Rilwan’s disappearance.

Minivan News Managing Editor Daniel Bosley thanked Raajje TV for its “incredible coverage.”

“It has been of great comfort during these difficult weeks to know that we have the support of others in the media community. We will continue to draw strength from the support of Raajje TV and other journalists as we continue the campaign to find Rilwan.”

Today marks the 25th day since Rilwan’s disappearance. Evidence gathered by Minivan News suggests Rilwan was abducted. Eyewitnesses said they saw a man being forced into a car at knifepoint infront of Rilwan’s apartment building on the night he disappeared.

Rilwan’s family and friends have meanwhile launched an extensive campaign to pressure government, including petitions, meeting state agencies, and raising public awareness on the issue.

Rilwan’s mother, Aminath Easa, 67, has also urged all families of victims of violent crime to work together to ensure justice.A meeting of families has been called for Wednesday September 3, at 9pm in Malé City Hall.

An Avaaz petition has also been launched calling on the Maldives government to expedite the search to find Rilwan and to guarantee a safe environment for all journalists, human rights defenders and bloggers in the Maldives.

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Jihadist media claims two more Maldivians killed in Syria

Online Jihadist group Bilad Al Sham Media (BASM) have claimed two more Maldivians have been killed in the Syrian civil war.

“Martyred brothers in the yesterdays operation include Abu Dujana Maldifi, Abu Ibrahim Maldifi and Abu Ukasha Indonesi,” read a post on the BASM facebook page today.

The latest reports follow similar stories in May when two Maldivians – who had taken the names of Abu Nuh and Abu Turab – were said to have been killed after travelling to Syria for jihad

While the group claims that Abu Dujana was the founder and editor of the BASM page, the group has not provided any information regarding his real identity, stating that this omission was at the request of his mother.

Local media has, however, identified Abu Dujana as Yameen Naeem of Georgia in the Maafannu ward of the capital Malé. It is reported that the man, in his early twenties, travelled to Syria after studying in Egypt.

BASM – which Minivan News has learned has members situated in both Syria and the Maldives – has previously claimed that its members arrive in Syria from numerous points of destinations, and that many were students.

The group has previously criticised incumbent President Abdulla Yameen, describing his presidential win as “a victory for Jahiliyya [ignorance] over Jahiliyya” and has condemned the Maldives National Defence Force as “fighters in the devil’s path”.

While other senior figures in the government refused to take a definitive stance on the issue of Jihad, Minister of Islamic Affairs Dr Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed in July urged Maldivians to refrain from participating in foreign wars.

“Islamic jihad is that waged with sincerity, in the name of Allah, in defense of religion and nation, behind a designated Muslim leader, and against enemies of Islam and nation,” Shaheem said, adding that fighting between two Muslim groups cannot be described as jihad.

Shaheem said Maldivian militants who go abroad must not be punished, but be rehabilitated and informed of religious teachings.

Admitting to growing radicalisation in the Maldives, Shaheem said the media and scholars must help the government in its effort to educate the public.

Radicalisation begins with praying in separate communities, refusing to register marriages at court, and declaring other Muslims infidels, Shaheem said.

The rise of religious radicals within the Maldives has been noted by numerous group both locally and internationally.

While the Maldivian Democratic Party has recently accused security services of fostering radical elements – a claim rejected by authorities, the then acting prosecutor general Hussein Shameem called for the state to take the issue more seriously.

Last week Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon again spoke in support of moderate Islam, condemning the atrocities of ISIS in Syria and Iraq.

The US State Department’s 2013 country report on terrorism noted that local laws “severely limit” the prosecution of cases associated with violent extremism. Then acting prosecutor general Hussein Shameem in March called for the state to take the issue more seriously.

The US expressed growing concern since 2010 “about the activities of a small number of local violent extremists involved with transnational terrorist groups”.

“There has been particular concern that young Maldivians, including those within the penal system, may be at risk of becoming radicalized and joining violent Islamist extremist groups. Links have been made between Maldivians and violent extremists throughout the world,” the report stated.

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